For generations, Logan County teenagers have swapped stories about Cry Baby Bridge, Hatchet Man and mysterious happenings on quiet country roads.

For Lance Schmidt, executive director of the Holland Theatre, those local legends became the foundation for something much larger than a ghost story.

Several years ago, Schmidt created a short horror film inspired by Logan County folklore, but beneath the creaking bridge and haunted whispers was a deeper message about violence, fear and the stories communities tell to make sense of tragedy.

"The film itself stands as an allegory for American violence," Schmidt said.

The project, titled Cry Baby Bridge, grew out of Schmidt's admiration for filmmaker Jordan Peele's 2017 horror film Get Out, which used suspense and terror to explore larger social issues.

"I was inspired by Get Out," Schmidt said. "It was the first time that I saw someone make a great, poignant message about American life layered into a horror movie."

Motivated by that approach, Schmidt turned to the stories that had fascinated him since childhood….READ MORE…